Back in Boscastle for Easter - March 2013

With a four day break for Easter, it was off down to Boscastle for a spot of west country birding. With the continually cold easterlies along the south coast, migrants have been few and far between on my local patch, so I was hoping to add a few to my year list this weekend. We drove down late on the Thursday night, and on Friday morning I took the chance to check out Valency Valley. It was bitterly cold and the hazy sun did little to add any heat, nonetheless there were some signs of spring breaking through.

Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage - Valley Valley

The flora in the valley is typical of a damp wooded valley and is carpeted with bluebells, although only one or two were in flower. Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage covers the dry stone walls and wild daffodils are abundant in Minster churchyard. The flora this year was way behind last year, in part due to the cold weather, but mainly because it was a very early Easter this year. Greater stitchwort, red campion, primrose and ramsons were all in flower, but only a few of each.

Bird wise there were no migrants present, I would have at least expected the odd chiffchaff or blackcap, but alas no. The usual woodland species, blue, great, coal and long-tailed tits, treecreeper and goldcrests were all very visible though. Even the river itself was fairly bird less although I did eventually find one dipper and a grey wagtail. It was good to compare the British race of dipper Cinclus cinclus gularis with the nominate black-bellied C. c. cinclus that I saw in Norfolk earlier this year. Although difficult to make out, the red brown on the lower breast are just visible in the image below, the underparts are uniform dark on black-bellied.

Dipper - Valency Valley

On Saturday 30th March I had to visit Bude and took the opportunity to walk along the cliffs. It was a gloriously sunny day and by the time I arrived there were people and dogs everywhere. Fortunately the pitch and putt course was cordoned off so not too many dogs were straying onto it, and so an ideal refuge for newly arriving northern wheatears. The most I saw at any one time was five, but birds seemed to be continually moving through, so I am sure there were many more. Some of the male birds were just stunning, as the individual below...such quality birds wheatears!

Northern Wheatear - Bude

As I settled down to photo the wheatears, my attention was distracted by a moth that settled between my legs to get out of the wind. Due to the cold weather moths have been a bit of a rarity this year, and this March moth, as it turned out to be, was my first of the year. Quite what it was doing in the middle of a pitch and putt course with no cover was a bit of a mystery. I guess it had been disturbed from its place of shelter and got blown there in the brisk wind.

March Moth - Bude

Another migrant that is typical of this time of year is white wagtail Motacilla alba alba, the nominate subspecies of the British pied wagtail M. a. yarrellii. White wags have a plain grey mantle and rump, a black hood with a clear border between the hood and mantle.

Pied Wagtail - Bude

Unfortunately, none of the birds I saw were white wags, but I did manage to get some great views of a couple of pied wags that were more intent on feeding than bothering about me.

Pied Wagtail - Bude

On the way back from Bude I stopped briefly at Davidstow Airfield, another good place for migrants and waders. There were at least 20 wheatears scattered around the area, a couple of ravens croaking loudly as they attacked a grey heron and that was about it. Crowdy Reservoir wasn't much better so I headed home. As I did a flock of around 50 golden plover put in a brief appearance, wheeling around before settling back down on a recently ploughed field.

Northern Wheatear - Davidstow

Sunday 31st March began with an early morning stroll around the cliffs at Boscastle, before being confined to the house for domestic duties. I started with a stroll through the scrub on The Stitches before settling down in a sheltered spot for a bit of sea watching on Willapark. The Stitches were predictably quiet with chaffinch, robin and dunnock being the most numerous species. The cliffs too were extraordinarily quiet with no fulmars or herring gulls settled on their usual nesting places, although the offshore islands were covered with birds. The sea was a bit more lively with fulmar, guillemot, razorbill and shags all present, a flyby male peregrine added to the excitement and a steady trickle of meadow pipits moved west. A sudden flurry of activity by the auks attracted a couple of sandwich terns, who made quick work of catching and swallowing their prey before the herring gulls got to them. As I was leaving I had the feeling I was being watched and suddenly noticed a peregrine sat watching me. It seemed more intrigued than perturbed by my presence, probably because it knew I no chance in getting too it on the unstable cliff face.

Peregrine Falcon - Boscastle

Monday 1st April began as Sunday with an early morning stroll around the cliffs at Boscastle, before packing up and heading home. This morning I did  the route in reverse, looking at the sea first before heading up to the scrub on the stitches. The sea was much as the day before, even with two sandwich terns feeding just offshore, but then a couple of close gannets and an adult kittiwake came into view. Two male peregrines were sat on the cliff face, one was calling constantly, presumably trying to scare off the intruder from its territory. This went on for about 10 minutes before the intruder took to the wing and flew north, watched all the way to the horizon by the other bird. It was nice to see that two fulmars had taken up residence on a suitable nesting site since yesterday morning, just maybe spring is on the way. The Stitches were as quiet as the previous day, with the only new species added being a jay and a couple of fly over linnets.

Northern Fulmars - Boscastle

An Easter break in Boscastle

I was looking forward to another weekend in North Cornwall, since it would hopefully give me the chance to catch up with some spring migrants and also the opportunity to walk the cliffs in search of Puffins. We set off early Friday morning and were crossing the northern tip of Bodmin Moor when a Sand Martin flew past in front of the car.....maybe a good omen!!

After a short break upon arrival in Boscastle I unpacked my camera gear and headed out onto The Stitches. There are strips of scrub at the eastern end and these usually act as a great migrant trap, with the fields being a great place to look for Northern Wheatears, larks and pipits. Two Barn Swallows dashing low across the fields were my first migrants, and a pair of Common Ravens were croaking overhead, twisting and turning as they tumbled from the sky. Other than a handful of singing Chiffchaffs and an occasional Blackcap, that was it migrant wise, although resident birds were in full song with Dunnocks and Chaffinch's being very vocal and prominent.

Male Dunnock

With not much happening on The Stitches I headed to the cliffs and a view of the sea. The cliffs were alive with auks, the most visible species being Razorbills on the land facing cliffs, with Guillemots being abundant on the seaward side. I spent a few minutes scanning the face of the nearest offshore island...Meachard, before turning my attention to the sea.

Razorbills on Meachard, off Boscastle

The odd passing Northern Gannet and the resident Herring Gulls were the most visible species, but a scan with my scope revealed a load more auks and around 30 European Shags on the water. Scanning west along the coast it was possible to see auks crammed on the ledges of two distant off shore rocks, Grower Rock and Short Island. I continued to scan and soon picked up two Puffins sat on the sea preening; after a while they took flight, circled briefly, before landing on the seaward side of the more distant rock, Short Island. I usually see Puffins on this rock and also another nearby one, that is just out of sight called Long Island, so it was good see them still there.

The rugged north Cornwall coastline, the two islands are
Grower Rock (nearer) and Short Island.

Another stroll around The Stitches yesterday (Saturday) morning, again produced very little in the way of migrants so I headed back to cliffs to scope the sea. The Northern Fulmars were settled down on the cliffs, with a few circling around on the wind, Herring gulls and Jackdaws were also paired up, but that was all.

With not much happening at sea I headed down Valency Valley, primarily to check up on the resident Dippers, but there seemed to be very little activity around the nest site. When birds are incubating there is often limited activity around the nest site, so lets hope that this is the case and not that the nest has been predated. I did see two further down the valley by the car park, but they were only fleeting flight views.

Fulmars, Boscastle

This morning I overslept and didn't head out until gone 10am, by which time most of the migration was probably over, assuming that is that there was any. There seemed to be more Chiffs and Blackcaps around and a single House Martin flew east, but again that was it. A rabbit was tucked into the vegetation around the field margin, so I thought seeing as it is Easter Sunday I would include a picture of it.

An Easter Day Bunny

A feeding flock of Herring Gulls, Gannets and Fulmars were just off shore, so I watched intently for a glimpse of a Harbour Porpoise or Common Dolphin, but it was not to be....hardly surprising as the sea was a bit choppy this morning. 

Grey Wagtail on the River Valency

With a lunch date planned with my wife and mother-in-law I headed down to the village centre; there were loads of people around but this did not deter a pair of Grey Wagtails that were busy nest building, oblivious to the hussle and bussle around them. 

Have to say I was slightly disappointed with my weekends birding and with heavy rain forecast tomorrow I don't think tomorrows birding is going to improve!!

Dippers, Chiffchaffs and Blue Tits in a Spring like Valency Valley

This morning had a decidedly spring feel about it as I ventured out for an early morning walk; the sun was slowly rising on a partly clouded sky, there was a crisp spring feel to the air and a Common Chiffchaff was singing from a nearby copse. I had decided to start with a cliff walk, before heading down to Valency Valley in search of Dippers. A brisk northerly wind was blowing, which was being used to its full by the resident Fulmars, as they searched the cliffs for nesting places. Many of the best ledges had already been taken, and paired up birds were settled and delicately preening each other, or uttering their raucous call whilst others passed close by. 

Northern Fulmar

Driven on by the cold wind, I headed down into the village of Boscastle and onto Valency Valley, and some shelter. I saw my first Dipper in the village centre, unfortunately though, it saw me first and flew down stream and out of view. I continued upstream keeping an eye out for any movement, but initially, other than a Robin and a Wren, both pretending to be Dippers, I was out of luck. The valley was starting to show signs of spring, with the first Bluebells, Wood Sorrel, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage and Red Campion in bloom.

Valency River

The river was flowing well, which was making it difficult for me to hear anything else, but one species that was evident was the Common Chiffchaff. Given the number I was hearing in the valley, at least 10, I am assuming these were migrant birds, and not wintering individuals that have started to sing. I continued up the valley, and in the distance noticed the familiar white breast of a Dipper. The bird was on a rock in the location where I found a nest last year, so I quietly sneaked up to a closer view point.

Dipper

As I crept into position the bird saw me and flew downstream, so I found some suitable cover behind a gorse bush and settled down for the wait. My patience paid off, as within 30 minutes a second bird dropped out of the presumed nest site, sat on a rock in front of me, and began to preen. The way this bird was behaving, constantly preening and stretching, I am assuming it was currently incubating eggs...but I didn't check the nest to confirm that.

Dipper

For around 15 minutes this bird sat preening before being joined by the second bird, presumably the male. He kept his distance, whilst the female preened, although at one point the two birds briefly came together, before the male was chased off.

Pair of Dippers

The female then flew to the bank and rummaged along the waters edge for a while, before collecting a small piece of nesting material and heading back to the nest. Both birds were seemingly totally oblivious or unperturbed by my presence, and the male continued to feed along the waters edge, before eventually flying back downstream.

Dipper with Nest Material

Whenever I see Dippers, and other birds with pure white feathers for that matter, I am amazed at how they manage to keep them so clean. Dippers live in a wet and muddy environment and yet they always look so immaculate, they must spend so much time cleaning.

Blue Tit by Nest Hole

I continued on up the valley, crossing the river and heading up to Minster Church, before noticing a split in a tree that looked good for bats. Whilst scanning for droppings, a female Blue Tit flew into the hole carrying nesting material, whilst the male waited outside calling. When I first started bird ringing, all of the Blue Tits in my nest boxes used to fledge around the third week of May, these days however chicks fledge anytime between late April and early June! All down to climate change, and the odd weather we have these days apparently.

Fulmars, Dippers and Little Owls - February 2011

Things have been a bit hectic of late and subsequently I have not had the chance to write any new posts, but the weather is grim outside this morning, so it seems like an opportune moment to update. Since my last post I have had a weekend in Cornwall, have done two Timed Tetrad Visits (for the BTO Atlas) and after a three week break, got to go ringing at Manor Farm Country Park.

Visits to Cornwall have been a regular thing for me over the last 30 years since my wife's family come from Boscastle. Over the years I have walked the valley's and the cliffs and have seen a few good birds, but this visit was more about just having a break and enjoying the local beer. The weather was not good on the journey down from Hampshire, and thick fog over Bodmin Moor made driving very difficult. But on Saturday morning the sky had cleared, the sun was blazing down and there seemed to be little wind....so ideal time for a walk.

We began our walk with a look out over the cliffs to the west of Boscastle and up Pentagon. On calm days this is a good place to look out for harbour porpoises or dolphins, but today, despite the lack of wind, there was an amazing swell on the sea. The waves were crashing against the base of the cliffs and creating spectacular displays of spray.

Crashing Waves, Boscastle February 2011 ©T. D. Codlin 

Given that it was still early February, I was a little surprised to see so many of the breeding birds back on the cliffs. Guillemots and razorbills were back of their precarious ledges, herring gulls  were bickering over their nesting sites on the vegetated slopes and a single great black-backed gull commandeered top spot, and idly watched the goings on beneath....no doubt keeping a beady eye out for a tasty morsel! But for me, the highlight was to see fulmars back on the cliffs.

Fulmars Settled on Cliffs in Boscastle February 2011 ©T. D. Codlin  

The northern fulmar is a member of the shearwater/albatross family and birds spend the winter on the high seas, scavenging on any scraps that come their way. Like the other members of their family, their distinctive straight wings and habit of flying very low to the water, make them easy to pick out when compared with the lumbering flight of gulls. They breed on cliffs and this is the best time to see them at close quarters as they use the air currents to practice their aerial acrobatics.....

Fulmar, Boscastle ©T. D. Codlin

.......and give wannabe photographers the chance to practice their skills!!

Fulmar, Boscastle ©T. D. Codlin

After a swift pub stop, well maybe not that swift, it was off up the Valency Valley in search of dippers. The valley is a great place to see this species, and personally I have never failed to see them there.

Valency Valley, Boscastle 2011 ©T. D. Codlin

Looking at the above image, it is difficult to imagine that in 2004 this valley was decimated by a flood. The volume of water was such that the valley bottom was totally underwater, trees were ripped up and the vegetation washed away. Further downstream cars were washed into the sea and buildings were knocked down. Afterwards the gently meandering river had been replaced by a large straight scar through the valley bottom. Four years on though, its looking more like before. During the transitional period the dippers have remained in residence, and the  lack of vegetation in places has in fact made them easier to see.

Dipper, Valency Valley February 2011 ©T. D. Codlin

A new embankment formed by the torrent of water during the flood in 2004 has proved to be a very popular nesting site in recent years. This provides the ideal location for watching and photographing this often elusive species.

Dipper, Valency Valley February 2011 ©T. D. Codlin

The above images show the rusty-brown feathers beneath the white bib which are a distinctive feature of the British, Irish and Central European subspecies. In North-west France and Northern Europe these feathers are dark brown.

Dipper, Valency Valley February 2011 ©T. D. Codlin

The above individual spent ages sat on this rock; it was the only place where the sun was penetrating so I guess this bird was making the most of the additional warmth on offer. I was able to get quite close, and loved the way the light fell on the bird and the rock.

Back in Hampshire for the weekend of 19/20th February, and it was back down to Manor Farm Country Park for some bird ringing. The weekend began with an evening visit to try to catch some owls; there are at least two pairs of little owl on the park, so that species was to be the target. I put the nets up in a gap between two buildings, as I have seen owls flying between these buildings previously, and........

Adult Female Little Owl Manor Farm CP February 2011  ©T. D. Codlin

........within half and hour we had one. I would like to point out that the neatly manicured nails and delicate hands are not mine but Izzy's, who is one of my enthusiastic trainees. This is only the third Little Owl I have caught at this site, the two previous were captured in 2003 and 2006, in the middle of the day.

Adult Female Little Owl Manor Farm CP February 2011  ©I. R. Phillips

Stupidly I left my camera at home, but was saved by Izzy who had luckily brought hers (these are my old gnarled hands!!!). When you look at the size of this bird in relation to my hands you can see what a compact little bird it is.

Adult Female Little Owl Manor Farm CP February 2011  ©I. R. Phillips

The following morning we were back at Manor Farm CP for an early morning ringing session. In all we captured 28 birds, which included a haul of 12 redwing and the usual blue and great tits. Several birds were re-trapped, with the highlight being a long-tailed tit which was originally captured in December 2006 (4 years and 59 days before) and a dunnock which was originally captured in July 2007 (3 years 226 days before).

The session ended with another little corker...a treecreeper. This is another species which I don't catch very often, and this individual was the eighth to be have captured at Manor Farm.

Treecreeper, Manor Farm CP February 2011 ©T. D. Codlin